Friday, 22 May 2015

Welcome to Episode 5 of my Crochet-a-Long Road Play Mat, where each week I have been sharing a new square design, which we will make into a road play or blanket for little ones. Today I am showing you how to crochet the Vegetable Patch & Flower Field squares.For this tutorial you will need the following materials;

extra colours of your choice for flowers and additional items such as cars

One average 50g/100g ball of say acrylic yarn, in each colour, should be more than enough for this CAL. If you plan to make a bigger play mat however, you will require more yarn, especially in green.

We are working to 10cm x 10cm (4" x 4") squares, but you can make your squares as big or as small as you like as long as they are square (or fit) at the end. I say fit as some people have made longer road and pond pieces which equate to two or three squares in width/length.

I always recommend watching the video tutorial to accompany this pattern if you get stuck, especially with this pattern, as it's important to crochet into the right areas.

Please note* Although this pattern uses simple stitches it is important to crochet into the right areas to achieve the pockets, however this can be confusing for beginners, so if you prefer you can exchange this square for a simple brown square of 18 hdc's across x 15 rows, and crochet small squares, which you can then sew on for pockets instead, or you can swap this square for the ploughed field square.

FLOs, BLOs and SLOs

When working a normal half double crochet stitch you are faced with 3 loops in total, normally we only crochet under the top two, leaving a side loop untouched underneath that is never used. When this pattern calls for you to work into the SLO it means to crochet into that side loop only, ignoring the top two loops altogether. When the pattern calls for FLOs it is asking for you to work under the top stitches as normal but only the front loop, not the back one, which by the way is abbreviated to BLO. When you switch rows, your back loop becomes your side loop. See video if confused.

Row 1Using a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook and your brown yarn, work 18 hdc foundation stitches - (18)Alternatively you can chain 19, work 1hdc into your 3rd st from hook (don't count the loop on your hook) and crochet 1hdc in ea st along, the chains at the end count as a hdc.Row 2Ch1 (don't count as st here and onwards), TURN, 1hdc in first 4 sts, 1hdc in next 4 FLO (front loops only), 1hdc in next 3 sts, 1hdc in next 4 FLO, 1hdc in last 3 sts - (18)Row 3Ch1, TURN, 1sl st in first 3 SLO (side loops only), 1hdc in next 4 previous BLO we skipped on our previous row (back loops only), 1sl st in next 3 SLO, 1hdc in next 4 previous BLO, 1sl st in last 4 SLO - (18)Row 4Ch1, TURN, 1hdc in first 4 FLO (note* it looks like you have two loops to work under as normal, but one of those is your side loop which we ignore, leaving you just the front loop above. The back loop has been taken by your previous slip stitches), 1hdc in next 4 sts on front part of pocket, 1hdc in next 3 FLO, 1hdc in next 4 sts on front part of pocket, 1hdc in last 3 FLO - (18)Row 5 Ch1, TURN, 1sl st in first 3 SLO, 1hdc in next 4 sts on back part of pocket (nearest to you), 1sl st in next 3 SLO, 1hdc in next 4 sts on back part of pocket (nearest to you), 1sl st in last 4 SLO - (18)Rows 6 - 7Repeat rows 4 and 5Row 8Ch1, TURN, 1hdc in first 4 FLO, 1hdc in next 4 sts on back part of pocket this time, 1hdc in next 3 FLO, 1hdc in next 4 sts on back part of pocket, 1hdc in last 3 FLO - (18)Row 9Ch1, TURN, 1hdc in first st and in ea st across - (18)
This completes your first set of pockets. Although we have crocheted 9 rows in total, we are only counting 6 as we've been making up each side of the pockets.Rows 10 - 24Repeat rows 2 - 9, ending on a row 8. Fasten off and tie in all tails.
You will need 1 Vegetable Patch Square for this CAL.Mini Vegetables

CarrotRound 1Using a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook (or smaller if easier) and your orange yarn, ch4, sl st in first ch to form a loop, crochet 6sc into loop, sl st in first sc to join - (6)Pause your crochet here. Take 3 short lengths of your green yarn and sew them onto the back of your carrot top, double knot into place and sew ends through centre to right side, trim to desired length.Rounds 2 - 3Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join - (6)
Stuff your carrot at this point.Round 4Ch1, and starting in the same st as your previous sl st, *sc2tog* repeat from * to * until end, sl st in first sc to join - (3) Don't worry if too fiddly to join at the end, simply cut your yarn and sew remaining gap closed.RadishRound 1Using a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook (or smaller if easier) and your pink/purple yarn, ch4, sl st in first ch to form a loop, crochet 5sc into loop, sl st in first sc to join - (5)Round 2Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, *2sc in next st, 1sc in next st* repeat from * to * until end, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join - (7)Round 3Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join - (7)Round 4Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, *sc2tog* repeat from * to * until end, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join joining your white yarn as you do - (4)
Stuff your radish at this point.Round 5Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join - (4) Don't worry if too fiddly to join at the end, simply cut your yarn and sew remaining gap closed. Thread your white tail ends to the bottom of your radish and trim to desired length, pull fibers apart to create roots.Leaves for your radishUsing a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook (or smaller if easier) and your green yarn, *ch4, sl st in your second ch from hook, 1dc in next ch, 1 sl st in last ch* repeat from * to * twice more, sl st in your first ch to finish, sew onto top of your radish.LeekRound 1Using a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook (or smaller if easier) and your white yarn, ch4, sl st in first ch to form a loop, crochet 6sc into loop, sl st in first sc to join - (6)Rounds 2 - 4Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join joining your green yarn in your last sl st on round 4 - (6)Round 5Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st into first sc to join - (6)
Stuff your leek at this point.LeavesCh1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in next st, +*TURN, 1sc in first 2 sts* repeat from * to * four more times, TURN, sc2tog, sl st down edge of leaf back to main leek, 1sc in next 2 sts on main leek+, repeat from + to + twice more, ending on sl st to end.
Stuff your leek and sew remaining gap closed. Thread your white tail ends to the bottom of your radish and trim to desired length, pull fibers apart to create roots.Flower Field

Row 1Using a 3.5 mm E/4 crochet hook and your green yarn, work 18 hdc foundation stitches - (18)Alternatively you can chain 19, work 1hdc into your 3rd st from hook (don't count the loop on your hook) and crochet 1hdc in ea st along, the chains at the end count as a hdc.Rows 2 - 15Ch1 (don't count as st here and onwards), TURN, 1hdc in your first st and ea st across - (18) Fasten off and tie in all tails.
You will need 2 Flower Field squares for this CAL.Mini Flowers
The key to these small flowers is not just how you make them but how you sew them on (^-^)
To make your flowers, choose any colour your like and using the same hook size, ch4, sl st in first ch to form a loop, *ch2, 1sc in loop, ch1, sl st in loop* repeat from * to * four more times to create five petals. Fasten off leaving enough yarn for sewing.
To sew your flower on, sew into green square to back, come up through centre of flower, sew between two petals to back, come up through centre of flower and repeat.For suggestions on sewing your squares together please see video tutorial above, I suggest the Back Loop Whip Stitch for sewing, using individuals colours to match the squares rather than one colour. And now you're done! (^-^) I hope you will join me on this fun CAL, and if you have been following along I hope you have enjoyed it. There will be more bonus tutorials coming soon as expansion packs for your Road PlayMat such as railway lines, car parks and a small tractor plus much more. These will be available here on my blog as well as on my YouTube channel.

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The Designer

I am a mummy to a little girl and I love baking, travelling and crocheting, sometimes all at the same time! I am often found immersed under yarn or off on my travels. I crochet with passion, with designs to hopefully catch your imagination and never let go.

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